Vehicle wheel trim

ABSTRACT

This disclosure pertains to a novel trim ring for automotive wheels which is formed in one piece from a single blank of material utilizing the normally-scrapped center portion thereof, and which further incorporates improved locating and retention means. Also disclosed is a novel method of fabricating a trim ring.

United States Patent 1191 Beisch Dec. 3, 1974 [5 VEHICLE WHEEL TRIM 2,785,777 3/1957 Horn ..30l/37RX 1 Inventor: R-Beiscmfissetsomario, 513233312 3/1323 32211111: ijjjffii/fi Canada 3,006,691 10/1961 Lyon ..30l/37T [731 Assigneei NorrislndusmestlneLog/gee 3:323:38? 3/1333 8111227?jjjjjjjijijjjjjjjjjjijjjjjj: ill/3Z1 Calif.

[22] Filed: June 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 263,711

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 146,082, May 24, 1971, Pat. No.

[52] U.S. Cl 301/37 T, 301/37 B [51] Int. Cl B601) 7/02 [58] Field of Search 301/37 B, 37 T, 37 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Lyon 301/37 R Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant E.tamir erReinhard J Eisenzopf Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harness, Dickey & Pierce 5 7 ABSTRACT This disclosure pertains to a novel trim ring for automotive wheels which is formed in one piece from a single blank of material utilizing the normally- 1 scrapped center portion thereof, and which further incorporates improved locating and retention means. Also disclosed is a novel method of fabricating a trim ring.

9 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures mamm l: 1m

sum 3 or 3 filed May 24, 1971, now Pat. No. 3,757,400, Sept. 11,

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, the function of automotive wheel trim is to decorate and/or protect the automotive wheel, and one of the major problems in the design of a commercially successful article of wheel trim concerns the provision of means for satisfactorily locating and retaining the trim on the wheel. Also, it must be capable of mass production at a minimum cost.

Insofar as trim rings are concerned, one common technique of manufacture is to roll a narrow strip of material into the desired cross-sectional shape, form cut lengths into hoops, and then weld the ends of the hoops together. The resultant article may constitute the ornamental portion of the trim ring, a retention band, or both. Another technique is to stamp them from polygonal or square blanks cut from a relatively wide strip of material. One disadvantage of the rolling process is the difficulty in forming a presentable seam, if it is the ornamental part which is rolled, without inordinately increasing the cost of manufacture. Another is that if it is not the ornamental part which is rolled you have a relatively expensive multi-piece trim ring. One disadvantage of the conventional stamping method is that the relatively large center of the blank must be scrapped. Also such trim rings are usually made in several pieces. Trim rings which are made entirely in one piece, with the retention consisting of a plurality of fingers extending radially and axially outwardly from the inner periphery thereof, are shown in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,732,260 and 3,083,060; however, those types suffer the significant disadvantage that because of the extreme relative length of the retention fingers it is almost impossible to achieve or maintain the stiffness necessary to have reliable retention, particularly in the case of massed produced parts. The situation is further aggravated in the case of a full trim ring which extends to the outer periphery of the wheel.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved automotive wheel trim device having good retention characteristics, and particularly a full trim ring, which is formed in one piece from a single blank with attendant reduced scrap loss and material cost and which is suitable for fabrication by mass production techniques, thus avoiding the aforementioned disadvantages of known trim rings. An important related object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved method of manufacture thereof.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved automotive wheel trim device particularly suited for use as a trim ring and incorporating an improved retention system in which there is provided a relatively rigid base structure from which relatively short and hence stiff retention fingers may be formed, which retention system is not sensitive to the normal tolerance variations encountered in mass production.

Another object concerns the provision of an improved economical method of fabrication of a trim ring. A related object concerns the provision of such a method in which material costs and scrap are reduced by utilization of the normally-scrapped center portion of the blank, by utilization of no materials other than the original blank and by deferring surface finishing operations until the final operation so that highly sensitive finished surfaces are not subjected to normal fabricating operations and hence a high risk of damage.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved trim ring which is of onepiece construction, which has no seam showing on the ornamental face thereof, and which may be fabricated by conventional stamping or pressing operations.

A further object resides in the provision of an improved trim ring having design flexibility in the'type of retention means which may be used.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view in the axial direction of the ornamental outer face of a trim ring embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the inner face thereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view in the axial direction of a portion of the inner face thereof;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, also illustrating in phantom cross-section a portion of a conventional automotive vehicle wheel;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is across-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the original strip of raw material from which the present trim ring is fabricated in accordance'with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the blank shown in FIG. 7 after certain steps in the method of fabrication have been performed;

FIG. 9 is a plan view in the axial direction of a portion of the blank after certain further steps in the method of fabrication have been performed;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line l0-l0 in FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are fragmentary cross-sectional views showing formation of the retention tooth of the present invention;

FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are fragmentary cross-sectional views illustrating further steps in the method of fabrication of the present trim ring;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary plan view of a modification of the retention means of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified technique of fabricating the trim ring of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified retention means; and

FIG. 19 is a side view of the retention means shown in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The structure and method of fabrication of the present invention is applicable to automotive wheel trim generally, however because of the utilization of the center portion of the raw material blank for reinforcing and retaining elements they are particularly suited to the manufacture of trim rings, and the present invention is therefore described as embodied in a trim ring and method of manufacture thereof. The principles of the present invention, however, may be readily applied to a wheel cover, i.e. a device also covering the entire center portion of an automotive wheel, by the addition of a suitable ornamental and/or protective element, medallion or the like to the open center portion of the trim ring, using techniques well known to those skilled in the art.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a trim ring for an automotive wheel. Trim ring 10 consists generally of an outer peripheral flange 12 adapted to overlie the outer peripheral rim of an automobile wheel, an intermediate portion 14, a major central portion 16 and an inner peripheral edge 18. Trim ring 10 is generally conical in overall configuration, however the entire configuration of the outer face of the trim ring shown is purely exemplary and'may be varied for any particular application. A valve stem hole 20 is provided through central portion 16.

As'ean be seen in FIG. 4, when the trim ring of the present invention is affixed to a conventional automotive vehicle wheel, such as indicated at 22, outer peripheral flange 12 axially overlies the outer rim 24 of the wheel, and central portion 16 overlies the intermediate flange 26 of the wheel, being primarily radially inwardly and slightly axially outwardly disposed with respect thereto. Wheel 22 is of conventional construction and as partially shown in FlG. 4 its center axis or axis of rotation (not shown) extends horizontally across the drawing in the plane thereof above the figure shown.

Disposed about the axially inner and radially outer side of central portion 16 are a plurality of reinforcing elements 28, the inner ends of which are integral with inner peripheral edge 18 and the outwardly facing surface of the trim ring; i.e. the entire trim ring is formed of a single integral piece of material, preferably stainless steel or a similar material capable of receiving a suitable decorative and protective finish. The outer ends of reinforcing elements 28, indicated at 30, are rigidly secured to outer peripheral flange 12 preferably by crimping the outer peripheral edge of flange 12 over end 30 of element 28, such as indicated at 32.

Each reinforcing element 28 comprises an outer flange portion 34 generally parallel to flange 12, a generally axially extending portion 36, a generally radially extending portion 38 and a main body portion 41. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the junction of each portion 38 and its adjoining portion 36 consists of an arcuate ridge 40. Projecting from main body portion 41 of each element 28 is wheel retention means comprising a finger portion 42 extending generally axially inwardly from portion 41 and having at the free end thereofa reversely bent tooth 44 extending in a direction which is primarily radially outwardly but having a slight axially outward component. The free edge 46 of tooth 44 is arcuate whereby two wheel engaging points 48 are formed at opposite ends thereof. The side edges of elements 28 are provided with radial flanges 50 to increase the stiffness thereof. Additional dirnples or ridges may be provided if further stiffness is desired. In order to relieve stresses and reduce the possibility of fracture, stress relieving holes 52 are provided at the juncture of each edge of each finger 42 and its element 28. The inner ends of reinforcing elements 28 are provided with a plurality of elongated openings 54 to relieve stresses at that point, and also to facilitate fabrication of the trim ring without fracture or the creation of an irregular peripheral surface.

As best seen in H6. 4, the trim ring is retained on the wheel by virtue of the biting engagement of points 48 into intermediate flange 26 of the wheel, in FIG. 4 fin ger 42 and tooth 44 are shown in an unstressed condition and the wheel is shown in phantom, As can be seen from the illustrated relationship of the parts, when the trim ring is fixed axially on its wheel. fingers 42 will be resiliently deflected inwardly and the stress thus created in all of the fingers will serve to urge all of the points 48 into biting engagement with the wheel to re tain the trim ring thereon. Because of the rake angle of each tooth 44 with respect to its finger 42 outwardly axial movement of the trim ring with respect to the wheel tends to cause points 48 to bite deeper and thereby resist such movement. This prevents accidental disengagement from the trim ring from the wheel. On the other hand, fingers 42 are sufficiently flexible that the trim ring may be pried from the wheel by inserting a prying tool between flange 12 and outer rim portion 42 of the wheel.

Because each finger 42 is relatively short in the axial direction, it may easily be made sufficiently stiff to provide reliable retention. This stiffness may of course be varied in designing a trim ring by varying the width and length of the finger. This is in part possible because of the stiffness of element 28 which serves as an anchor. Similarly, tooth 44 is sufficiently short in the radial direction that it is substantially rigid with respect to its finger 42. These features are significant in providing reliable retention which may be economically mass produced on a repeatable basis, i.e. without being adversely subject to variances in normal manufacturing tolerances.

Although teeth 44 are instrumental in retaining the trim ring on the wheel, arcuate ridges 40 and adjacent body portions 41 are primarily responsible for locating the trim ring with respect to the vehicle wheel. As can be seen in FIG, 4, each arcuate ridge 40, or at least the ends thereof, because of its curvature, engage the arcuate portion of the wheel intermediate flange 26 and rim 24, such engagement serving to axially position the trim ring with respect to the wheel in such a way that a small gap 56 of uniform dimension is provided about the wheel periphery between flange 34 and wheel rim 24, in order to facilitate the insertion of a conventional wheel weight clip. The arcuate shape of ridge 40 also serves to further stiffen element 28. The trim ring is ra dially located with respect to the vehicle wheel by the engagement of each body portion 41, adjacent ridge 40, with intermediate flange 26 of the wheel, as indicated at 58. The inherent strength of the trim ring resulting from the cross-sectional configuration thereof.

i.e. the provision of a reinforcing element rigidly secured at both ends to the outwardly facing portion of the trim ring to form a continuous hollow section, pro vides a strong support structure for the axial locating means, radial locating means, and retention means of the trim ring of the present invention. It has been discovered that sixteen elements 28, each with retention means, have given very satisfactory results in a trim ring for a 15 inch wheel, however this number is not believed critical and variations therefrom are believed to yield satisfactory results.

Several modifications of the structure which may be desired in a particular application are those shown in FIGS. 16 through 19. If it is found in a particular-application that a more rigid retention is desired, a dart 200 such as shown in FIG. 16 may be provided. If a given application requires additional fastening strength at the juncture of free end 30 of element 28 and flange 12, such free end may be flanged as shown at 202 in FIG. 17 prior to the application of crimp 32. Because end edge 30 is circular convex, for reasons which will become apparentbelow, the opposite edges thereof will tend to bite into the crimped portion and a greater mechanical interlock will result. Even if edge 30 is not flanged as at 202 there will be some mechanical interlock as a result of the convex curvature thereof if formed in the manner set forth below.

An alternative retention is illustrated in FIG. 18. In this embodiment a pair of teeth 204 of triangular configuration are lanced and bent out of portion 41 of each element 28, each tooth providing a single biting point of engagement 206 with the vehicle wheel. For additional rigidity or stiffness a dart 208 may also be provided. Other known retention systems may also be utilized with rigid reinforcing element 28 as a base,.as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

One of the particular advantages of the trim ring of the present invention is its suitability to an economical method of manufacture, in significant part due to the fact that the present trim ring may be fabricatedfrom a single blank of raw material no greater in size than the blank from which known trim rings are fabricated,

without requiring the addition of further material for- A method of fabrication of the present wheel trim is set forth below, with particular reference to FIGS. 7 through 15. The input raw material is in the form of a strip or coil of stainless steel or other material having similar characteristics and suitable for appropriate finishing. The strip is slightly wider than the developedcross-section of the completed trim ring. The first operation formed is that of notching the strip as at 100 in FIG. 7 to define successive blanks 102 which are separated by a cutting operation from the coil along a line 103 and then drawn into the cross-sectional configuration shown in FIG. 8. As will be noted in FIG. 8, the central area 104 of the workpiece is slightly dished. This is for the purpose of work hardening the metal in this area, in addition to that material which is more severely drawn, to achieve a trim ring having the desired stiffness. The next step, illustrated in FIG. 9, is to restrike and emboss the center cross-sectional-configurationshown in FIG. (less flange 50 and finger 42), after which holes 54 and holes 52 are pierced and the outside diameter of the blank is trimmed into a circular configuration. The retention fingers 42 and teeth 44 are then lanced and slightly bent out of the blank along the line 106 as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, and at the same time the sections which ultimately form reinforcing elements 28 are lanced along lines 108, as seen in FIG. 9.

The next step is to flange the outside diameter of the blank to form flange 12, intermediate portion 14, and

- a small outer flange 112 (FIG. 10) which will ultimately become crimp 32. Radial flanges are also formed, and the inside circumference 110 of the blank is then pierced to the configuration shown in FIG. 9. A restrike of the blank is then made to bend the retaining teeth 90, as shown in FIG. 11, after which a further restrike reversely bends the teeth tothe final position shown'in FIG. 12. Thereafter, the center portion of the blank which ultimately forms reinforcing elements 28 is drawn or wiped downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 13, after which elements 28 are reversely bent into the configuration shown in FIG. 14 by means of a double cam operation, one set of cams being inserted between elements 28 and portions14 in the vicinity of holes 54 to provide a rigid surface or edge about which elements 28 may be uniformly bent without distorting inner periphery 18. The next step is the utilization of a spinning or rolling operation to fold the outside edge of the blank, at flange 112, over the peripheral edge 30 of the end of each of elements 28, after pushing free ends of elements 28 against flange 12 by means of the pressure pad on the spinning apparatus, as shown in FIG. 15. Valve stem hole 20 may then be pierced, after which the ornamental portions of the trim ring may be buffed and/or plated, as desired.

One advantage of the present structure and method is that at the time of finishing there is substantial structure to grip in a finishing fixture. Also, it is not necessary to polish and/or plate any surfaces which will not ultimately show. Furthermore, the present process does not require a finishing operation until the product is fully formed, nor does it require the use of finished raw material, thus reducing the likelihood of creating scrap by damaging a finished surface.

Thus, there is disclosed in the above description and in the drawings embodiments of the invention which .fully and effectively accomplish the objects thereof. However, it will be apparent that variations in the details of construction may be indulged in without departing from the sphere of the invention herein described, or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of a vehicle wheel; means defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced reinforcing elements extending from and integral with theinner periphery of said body, said elements extending generally from said inner periphery to the outer periphery of said body, the free ends of said elements being rigidly affixed to said body adjacent the outer periphery thereof; retention means supported on said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel; said body, said reinforcing elements and said retention means being formed from a single sheet of material and being integral with one another.

2. Wheel trim as claimed in claim I, wherein the outer periphery of said body is folded back on itself rigidly pinchingthe free ends of said elements therebetween to thereby rigidly affix the free ends of said elements to the outer periphery of said body.

3. A wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, including: means constituting a generally annular body defined by inner and outer peripheries, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reinforcing means integral with said body and extending between the inner and outer peripheries of said body, and retention means extending integrally from each said reinforcing means to provide for a retention of the wheel trim by the vehicle wheel; each said reinforcing means extending integrally from the inner periphery of said body and being supported by said body at the outer periphery thereof and each said retention means extending outwardly from its reinforcing means at positions intermediate the inner and outer peripheries of said body; each said reinforcing means including a stiffening means at positions intermediate the inner and outer peripheries of said body to stiffen the wheel trim.

4. A wheel trim as set forth in claim 3 wherein each said retention means is disposed adjacent its associated stiffening means. 7

5. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of a vehicle wheel; means defining a plurality of reinforcing elements extending generally from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of said body; means rigidly connecting the outer and inner ends of said elements to said body adjacent the outer and inner peripheries thereof, respectively; and a wheel engaging retention means supported on each of said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel, each said retention-means including integral finger means extending generally axially inwardly from said element and integral generally radially outwardly extending wheel engaging tooth means disposed at the free end of each of said finger means, said tooth means extending slightly axially outwardly.

6. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of a vehicle wheel, means defining a plurality of reinforcing elements extending from and integral with the inner periphery of said body, said elements extending generally from said inner periphery to the outer periphery of said body, the free ends of said elements being rigidly affixed to said body adjacent the outer periphery thereof; and retention means supported on said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel; each of said elements being provided along at least one edge thereof with an inwardly radially extending flange to increase the rigidity thereof.

7. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of the vehicle wheel; reinforcing means extending circumferentially around said body, said reinforcing means being defined by a plurality of reinforcing elements each extending generally from the inner periphery of said body to the outer periphery of said body with said reinforcing elements being integrally joined together at their inner ends but separated at their outer ends; means rigidly connecting the inner and outer ends of said elements to said body adjacent the outer and inner peripheries thereof, respectively; and a wheel engaging retention means supported on each of said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel.

8. Wheel trim as claimed in claim 7 wherein said reinforcing means is integrally joined with the inner periphery of said body.

9. Wheel trim as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said retention means includes integral finger means extending generally axially inwardly from said element and integral generally radially outwardly extending wheel engaging tooth means disposed at the free end of each said finger means, said tooth means extending slightly axially outwardly. 

1. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of a vehicle wheel; means defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced reinforcing elements extending from and integral with the inner periphery of said body, said elements extending generally from said inner periphery to the outer periphery of said body, the free ends of said elements being rigidly affixed to said body adjacent the outer periphery thereof; retention means supported on said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel; said body, said reinforcing elements and said retention means being formed from a single sheet of material and being integral with one another.
 2. Wheel trim as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of said body is folded back on itself rigidly pinching the free ends of said elements therebetween to thereby rigidly affix the free ends of said elements to the outer periphery of said body.
 3. A wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, including: means constituting a generally annular body defined by inner and outer peripheries, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reinforcing means integral with said body and extending between the inner and outer peripheries of said body, and retention means extending integrally from each said reinforcing means to provide for a retention of the wheel trim by the vehicle wheel; each said reinforcing means extending integrally from the inner periphery of said body and being supported by said body at the outer periphery thereof and each said retention means extending outwardly from its reinforcing means at positions intermediate the inner and outer peripheries of said body; each said reinforcing means including a stiffening means at positions intermediate the inner and outer peripheries of said body to stiffen the wheel trim.
 4. A wheel trim as set forth in claim 3 wherein each said retention means is disposed adjacent its associated stiffening means.
 5. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of a vehicle wheel; means defining a plurality of reinforcing elements extending generally from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of said body; means rigidly connecting the outer and inner ends of said elements to said body adjacent the outer and inner peripheries thereof, respectively; and a wheel engaging retention means supported on each of said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel, each said retention means including integral finger means extending generally axially inwardly from said element and integral generally radially outwardly extending wheel engaging tooth means disposed at the free end of each of said finger means, said tooth means extending slightly axially outwardly.
 6. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annular body adapted to overlie a portion of a vehicle wheel, means defining a plurality of reinforcing elements extending from and integral with the inner periphery of said body, said elements extending generally from said inner periphery to the outer periphery of said body, the free ends of said elements being rigidly affixed to said body adjacent the outer periphery thereof; and retention means supported on said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel; each of said elements being provided along at least one edge thereof with an inwardly radially extending flange to increase the rigidity thereof.
 7. Wheel trim for a vehicle wheel, comprising: means defining a generally annUlar body adapted to overlie a portion of the vehicle wheel; reinforcing means extending circumferentially around said body, said reinforcing means being defined by a plurality of reinforcing elements each extending generally from the inner periphery of said body to the outer periphery of said body with said reinforcing elements being integrally joined together at their inner ends but separated at their outer ends; means rigidly connecting the inner and outer ends of said elements to said body adjacent the outer and inner peripheries thereof, respectively; and a wheel engaging retention means supported on each of said elements for removably retaining said body on the vehicle wheel.
 8. Wheel trim as claimed in claim 7 wherein said reinforcing means is integrally joined with the inner periphery of said body.
 9. Wheel trim as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said retention means includes integral finger means extending generally axially inwardly from said element and integral generally radially outwardly extending wheel engaging tooth means disposed at the free end of each said finger means, said tooth means extending slightly axially outwardly. 